Ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold

ABSTRACT

A ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold is disclosed. The ladder apparatus includes a ladder, two top connection components disposed at a top of the ladder, two bottom connection components disposed at a bottom of the ladder, and two platform assemblies connecting the ladder. The ladder includes two lateral rails and a plurality of step shelves arranged between the rails. Each platform assembly has a platform, two fasteners connected respectively to opposite ends of an external side of the platform, two straddlers connected respectively to opposite ends of an internal side of the platform, and two retainers protruding respectively from two lateral sides of the platform. The ladder connects the internal sides of the two platform assemblies via the top and bottom connection components respectively. The platform assemblies stride over and are against two lateral stringers of the scaffold via the straddlers and join the scaffold via the fasteners. Hence, the top and bottom of the ladder apparatus are served as stages for operators standing on and doing construction jobs.

BACKGROUND

[Field of the Invention]

The present invention relates generally to construction, and is more specifically concerned with a ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold, which top and bottom are served as stages for operators standing on and doing construction jobs.

[Background of the Invention]

Conventional ladder applied to a scaffold, disclosed in FIG. 14, includes two lateral rails 132, several steps 134 arranged at intervals and between the two rails 132, four hooks 136 disposed at opposite ends of a body 130 that is composed of the rails 132 and steps 134, and four fasteners 140 respectively pivoted to the hooks 136 via rivets 142. Each hook 136 has an extension arm 137 to form a recess 138, which is of appropriate depth. Each fastener 140 has an angular displacement to the relating hook 136.

Referring FIG. 15, the hooks 136 clasp the stringers 145, so that the ladder 120 can join the scaffold. However, the recesses 138 of the hooks 136 follow the same direction indicated as a center line “A” in FIG. 14, and need to be deep enough for “clasping. To install or remove the ladder 120 must need at least two laborers at the same time, because it is so large and heavy that two or more laborers are able to lift it.

Besides, somewhere to support the laborers or to serve as a stage for the laborers doing construction jobs is neither at the top nor at the bottom of the ladder 120, it causes inconvenience and danger to the laborers.

Thus, the conventional ladder 120 is not really practiced into suitability and results in the delay of construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold. The top and the bottom of the ladder apparatus are served as stages on which operators could stand and implement construction jobs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold, which is light and short enough to be set upon the scaffold by only one person.

Additional object of the present invention is to provide a ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold, which is easy to be installed into and removed from the scaffold.

According to primary aspect of the present invention, a ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold including a ladder and two platform assemblies is disclosed. The ladder includes two lateral rails and a plurality of step shelves arranged at intervals between the rails. Two top connection components are disposed at a top of the ladder, two bottom connection components disposed at a bottom of the ladder. Each platform assembly has a platform, two fasteners connected respectively to opposite ends of an external side of the platform, two straddlers connected respectively to opposite ends of an internal side of the platform, and two retainers protruding respectively from two lateral sides of the platform. The ladder connects the internal side of one platform assembly via the bottom connection components and connects the internal side of the other platform assembly via the top connection components. The platform assemblies join the scaffold via the fasteners, and stride over and are against two lateral stringers of the scaffold via the straddlers.

In order to install the ladder, one platform assembly should be placed on a lower story of the scaffold first. The two straddlers at opposite ends of the platform stride over and are supported by two lateral stringers of the lower story, the two retainers are against the two stringers thereby, and the two fasteners join two leveling jacks that are disposed on two lateral uprights of the scaffold. The other platform assembly is installed on an upper story in the same manner and arranged behind the previous one. In addition, the bottom connection components connect the internal side of the lower platform assembly and the top connection components connect the internal side of the upper platform assembly, the ladder is jointed to the two platform assemblies and the scaffold thereby.

Hence, the top and bottom platform assemblies according to the ladder apparatus are served as stages at every story, on which operators are able to stand and to do construction jobs. Besides, the ladder according to the present invention is shorter and lighter than the conventional one; it is easy to install and remove the ladder for just one person and results in extensive convenience for the construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent after consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a ladder apparatus of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a ladder according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view according to part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom platform assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged explosive view according to part of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the bottom platform assembly clasps a scaffold according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an operation view illustrating a top platform assembly clasps a scaffold according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a top platform assembly clasps a scaffold according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an operation view illustrating the top and bottom platform assemblies connects to the scaffold according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the ladder apparatus connects to the scaffold of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the ladder apparatus applied to a two-story scaffold according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a side view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view according to part of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a connectional ladder; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the connectional ladder applied to a scaffold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Certain embodiments as disclosed herein provide for a ladder apparatus 10 adapted for a scaffold, which has a ladder 20 and two platform assemblies 50, 100.

The ladder 20, referred in FIG. 1, has two lateral rails 22 being slant and paralleled to each other, a plurality of step shelves 24, two top connection components 30, and two bottom connection components 40. The step shelves 24 connect the lateral rails 22 and are spaced at intervals between the lateral rails 22.

Each top connection component 30 has a hook 32 and a removable clip member 35. The hook 32 has a notch 33 recessed from a top face thereof The notch 33 is formed with an included angle, which is appropriately 90 degree. Illustrated in FIG. 3, the hook 32 further has a vacancy 34 recessed from a bottom face thereof with an appropriately depth. The hook 32 is disposed at the top end of a respective one of the rails 22. Each movable clip member 35 is arc-shaped, and has an upper slot 36 and a lower slot 37 formed thereof. Four rivets 38 are regulated on and applied to the upper and lower slots 36, 37 of the each hook 32, such that each movable clip member 35 is pivoted to a lateral side of the hook 32 and swung next to the hook 32 with angular displacements. Each bottom connection component 40 is U-shaped and arranged at a bottom end of each rail 22 to straddle over and grasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly.

With respect to FIGS. 1 and 4, the two platform assemblies in practice are a top platform assembly 50 and a bottom platform assembly 100, and the configuration and structure of each platform assembly are identical. Therefore the following description is defined by the bottom platform assembly 50, which is representative of all. The bottom platform assembly 50 has a platform 60, two fasteners 70, two straddlers 80 and two retainers 90. The platform 60 has a step shelf 62, an internal joist 66 and an external joist 64. The two joists 66, 64 are disposed by internal and external sides of the step shelf 62 respectively, and connected to the step shelf 62 by welding several ledgers 68. The ledgers 68 are transversely welded to the bottoms of the joists 66, 64 and the step self 62 for connecting these three members all together, so as to strengthen the platform 60.

With respect to FIGS. 4 and 5, the two fasteners 70 are connected respectively to opposite ends of the external joist 64 of the platform 60. Each fastener 70 includes a casing 71 and an insertion member 75 fitting in the casing 71. The casing 71 is horse-shoe-shaped, and has an opening 72 recessed from a central portion of a front, and two elongated slits 73, 74 respectively formed at top and bottom portions of the casing 71. The top and bottom slits 73, 74 correspond to each other and communicate with the opening 71. The insertion member is a wedge-shaped flat pin, and has a top end, which is wider than a bottom end thereof The insertion member 75 is capable of penetrating downwardly via the bottom end thereof and passing the top slit 73, the opening 72 and the bottom slit 74 of the casing 71 sequentially.

Each straddler 80 has an end folded downwardly, and is disposed at opposite ends of the internal joist 66.

The retainers 90 protrude respectively from two lateral sides of the platform 60; each retainer 90 is arranged between the respective fastener 70 and straddle 80. In practice, the retainer 90 is next to the fastener 70; two retainers 90 are arranged in a collinear manner, referring in FIG. 4.

With respect to FIG. 6, in order to install the ladder apparatus 10 upon the scaffold, the bottom platform assembly 50 is placed first. The two straddlers 80 stride over and are against two opposite stringers 110 of a story of the scaffold, the two retainers 90 are against top faces of the stringers 110 thereby. The casing 71 of each fastener 70 grips a leveling jack 113, which is disposed on an upright 112 of the scaffold, because the opening 72 receives the leveling jack 113 and the insertion member 75 downwardly penetrates the top slit 73 of the casing 71, a though hole 114 of the leveling jack 113 and the bottom slit 71 of the casing 71. The fasteners 70 grip the leveling jack 113 for orienting the bottom platform assembly 50; the two lateral sides of the bottom platform assembly 50 are supported by the two opposite stringers 110 and the leveling jacks 113, the bottom platform assembly 50 is set firmly upon to the scaffold thereby.

With respect to FIG. 7, after the setting of the bottom platform assembly 50, the operator could stand on the step shelf 62 of the bottom platform assembly 50 and install the top platform assembly 100 upon the stringers 115 of the upper story. As the operator is alone, the top platform assembly 100 can be placed at middle sections of the stringers 115 or sections which the operator is close to. The top platform assembly 100 is supported by the stringers 115 while the straddlers 80 stride over the stringers 115 and the retainers 90 are against the stringers 115. After that, the operator could push the top platform assembly 100 away, as shown an indicating arrow.

With respect to FIGS. 8 and 9, after the top platform assembly 100 is orientated at the upper story, the ladder 20 could be implemented between the top and bottom platform assemblies 50, 100. First, the bottom connection components 40 join the internal joist 66 of the bottom platform assembly 50. Then, the ladder 20 is pushed and slants enough for the top connection components griping the internal joist 66 of the top platform assembly 100 via the hooks 30, illustrated in FIG. 12. The internal joist 66 is received in the vacancy 34 of the hook 30 and is clamped with the clip member 35. After that, the operator could climb up the ladder 20 to the top platform assembly 100 and secure the fasteners 70 to the leveling jacks 116, shown in FIG. 10, and the top platform assembly 100 is set firmly upon to the scaffold thereby so as to complete the ladder apparatus 10. Thus, the operator can install the bottom and top platform assemblies 50, 100 with effort-saving convenience on his own.

The fasteners 70 are secured onto the leveling jacks 113, 116 of the lateral uprights 112, 117 and the retainers 90 and the straddlers 80 are against the tops of the stringers 110, 115, while the platform assemblies 50, 100 join the scaffold. When the operator steps along merely one side of the step shelf 62, the tilt of the step shelf 62 would be avoided.

Furthermore, the top and bottom platform assemblies 50, 100 are installed in every story of the scaffold; that means the ladder 20 between them is shorter than the conventional one and is lighter correspondingly. The ladder 20 according to the present invention could be carried and installed by just one operator, and it would provide convenience to the job and speed up the construction.

With respect to FIGS. 11 and 12, when the ladder 20 of the lower story is finished, the operator could just stand on the top platform assembly 100 of the lower story for setting the top platform assembly 100′ and then the ladder 20′. The ladder apparatuses 10, 11 are implemented for the lower and upper stories of the scaffold, another platform 120 could be placed on the most top of the scaffold, on which the operator could stand and do construction jobs. The platform 120 is arranged between the stringer 119 and the internal joist 66. The bottom edge of the platform 120 just engages into the notch 33 of the hook 32 of the top connection component 30, shown in FIG. 13, so as to secure the platform 120 to the notch 33. The design of the ladder 20, 20′ according to the present invention is very convenience to be installed in practice. After completion of the construction, the ladder apparatus could be top-down dismantled. The operator stands on the bottom platform assembly of the upper story, which also serves as the top platform assembly of the lower story, in order to remove the upper ladder 20′. The top platform assembly 100′ of the upper story is dismantled then, the operator goes down to the bottom platform assembly 50 of the lower story to remove the lower ladder 20.

The ladder apparatus 10 adapted for the scaffold according to the present invention meets the advantages with simple structure, which is included with the fasteners and retainers for staying firm on the scaffold and the platform assemblies for serving as operation stages. The fasteners and retainers could guarantee the stable contact to the scaffold by avoiding from the vibration or tilt of the step shelf, which may result from one-side standing of the operator. In addition, the platform assembly is used for the operator walking or doing jobs. Furthermore, the length of the ladder 20, which is shorter and lighter than that of the conventional one, is much easy to be installed or removed; to put into practice easily brings the convenience of operation.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. 

1. A ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold, comprising two platform assemblies and a ladder connecting with the platforms, wherein: the ladder includes two lateral rails being slant and paralleled to each other, a plurality of step shelves connecting the lateral rails and spaced at intervals between the rails, two bottom connection components disposed at a bottom of the ladder, and two top connection components disposed at a top of the ladder; and each of the two platform assemblies has a platform, two fasteners connected respectively to opposite ends of an external side of the platform, two straddlers connected respectively to opposite ends of an internal side of the platform, and two retainers protruding respectively from two lateral sides of the platform; each of the two retainers are arranged between the respective fastener and straddle; the ladder connects the internal sides of the two platform assemblies via the top and bottom connection components respectively; the two platform assemblies stride over and are against two lateral stringers of the scaffold via the straddlers and the retainers, and join the scaffold via the fasteners.
 2. The ladder apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platform includes a platform, an external joist and an internal joist; the external and internal joists are arranged next to external and internal sides of the platform; the two fasteners are disposed at opposite ends of the external joist, and the two straddlers are disposed at opposite ends of the internal joist.
 3. The ladder apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two retainers are arranged in a collinear manner.
 4. The ladder apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each straddler has an end folded downwardly.
 5. The ladder apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each bottom connection component is U-shaped and arranged at a bottom end of each rail to straddle over and grasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly.
 6. The ladder apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each fastener includes a casing and an insertion member fitting in the casing; the casing has an opening recessed from a front, and two slits respectively formed at top and bottom portions of the casing; the two slits correspond to each other and communicate with the opening; the insertion member has a top end, which is wider than a bottom end thereof, the insertion member is capable of penetrating downwardly and passing the slits of the casing via the bottom end thereof.
 7. The ladder apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each fastener includes a casing and an insertion member fitting in the casing; the casing has an opening recessed from a front, and two slits respectively formed at top and bottom portions of the casing; the two slits correspond to each other and communicate with the opening; the insertion member has a top end, which is wider than a bottom end thereof, the insertion member is capable of penetrating downwardly and passing the slits of the casing via the bottom end thereof.
 8. The ladder apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the top connection components includes a hook connected to a top end of each rail, and a clip member pivoted to a lateral side of the hook and being swung next to the hook; the two top connection components clasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly.
 9. The ladder apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hook has a notch recessed from a top face thereof.
 10. The ladder apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notch is formed with an included angle, which is appropriately 90 degree.
 11. The ladder apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the top connection components includes a hook connected to a top end of each rail, and a clip member pivoted to a lateral side of the hook and being swung next to the hook; the two connection components clasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly.
 12. The ladder apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the hook has a notch recessed from a top face thereof.
 13. The ladder apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the platform includes at least one ledger transversely arranged at bottoms of the internal and external joists and a bottom of the step shelf for connecting these three all together.
 14. A ladder apparatus adapted for a scaffold, comprising two platform assemblies and a ladder connecting with the platforms, wherein: the ladder includes two lateral rails paralleled to each other, a plurality of step shelves connecting the lateral rails and spaced at intervals between the rails, two bottom connection components disposed at a bottom of the ladder, and two top connection components disposed at a top of the ladder; and each of the two platform assemblies has a platform, two fasteners connected respectively to opposite ends of an external side of the platform, and two straddlers connected respectively to opposite ends of an internal side of the platform; the ladder connects the internal sides of the two platform assemblies via the top and bottom connection components respectively; the two platform assemblies stride over and are against two lateral stringers of the scaffold via the straddlers, and join the scaffold via the fasteners.
 15. The ladder apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the platform includes a platform, an external joist and an internal joist; the external and internal joists are arranged next to external and internal sides of the platform; the two fasteners are disposed at opposite ends of the external joist, and the two straddlers are disposed at opposite ends of the internal joist.
 16. The ladder apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the top connection components includes a hook connected to a top end of a respective rail, and a clip member pivoted to a lateral side of the hook and being swung next to the hook; the hook has a notch recessed from a top face thereof, the two top connection components clasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly.
 17. The ladder apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the top connection components includes a hook connected to a top end of a respective rail, and a clip member pivoted to a lateral side of the hook and being swung next to the hook; the hook has a notch recessed from a top face thereof, the two top connection components clasp the internal joist of the relative platform assembly. 